Bafana Bafana Star – We Have Shown Cameroon How To Beat Nigeria




South Africa forward Themba Zwane who starred in their 2-0 win over Nigeria says Bafana Bafana have shown the rest of the world how to beat the senior national team of Nigeria.

The midfielder struck the woodwork twice in the game said South Africa could have won the game by more goals as the 2-0 scoreline didn’t justify their dominace in the game played at the Godswill Akpabio Stadium in Uyo.

He said their tactics of hitting Nigeria on the counter paid off, and insist that teams playing Nigeria who are to take on Cameroon next in the World Cup 2018 Qualifiers can borrow a leaf from their game plan.

“Upon our arrival at the airport there in Nigeria, some of the locals told us that we must forget about the possibility of beating their senior national team, especially at home. They told us that we were going to lose that encounter.

“That alone was the motivation for us to do well in that match. We also had a proper game plan. The coach told us to always maintain shape at the back and catch them on the counter. And we did that pretty well.”


**Ade Emmanuel

Source: http://owngoalnigeria.com/2017/06/19/bafana-bafana-star-we-have-shown-cameroon-how-to-beat-nigeria/

TheSuperNerd:
Liverpool Sound Out Teams In England Over Loan Deal For Taiwo Awoniyi




English Premier League side Liverpool have told Nigerian striker Taiwo Awoniyi of their plans for him ahead of the start of preparations for next season, Owngoalnigeria.com can exclusively reveal.

Liverpool manager Jurgen Kloop believes the player need to
develop further hence another loan move is strongly under consideration but this time around they want him to play in England.

Although the issue of work permit might stopped him from playing in England, the club are hopeful that they will be able to use his reputation of playing in Germany and Holland before his 20th birthday to apply for him using the special talent option.

” He (Awoniyi) has three more years to go on his deal with Liverpool, so the next step is for him to play in England before a decision will be reached on his contract extension with the club, after next season he will have two more years to go”, a family source told Owngoalnigeria.com.

” For now he has not been asked to resume for pre season, which is not a surprise at all but he has been told they are working on getting him to play for a club in England on loan to further enhance his abilities after spells in Germany and the Netherlands “.


**Daniel Martins


Source: http://owngoalnigeria.com/2017/06/19/liverpool-sound-out-teams-in-england-over-loan-deal-for-taiwo-awoniyi/

I don't know where this guys getting this news from but the case for special talent would require a high degree of outstanding performances in a top league and possibly top club.

Playing in the Dutch second division and not doing much does not equate to special talent.

do4luv14:


hurrrrryyyyyy!!!!!!!!........


FIRSRLADY is back

#goingformywooingvear

I would advise extreme caution from the proposition you make.

I would rather play an over confident Cameroon that will be prone to mistakes that will underestimate our abilities and over estimate thier own attributes.

A wounder Lion is the most dangerous of predators.

do4luv14:


hurrrrryyyyyy!!!!!!!!........


FIRSRLADY is back

#goingformywooingvear

I would advise extreme caution from the proposition you make.

I would rather play an over confident Cameroon that will be prone to mistakes that will underestimate our abilities and over estimate thier own attributes.

A wounded Lion is the most dangerous of predators.

Ooooops was referring to post by Safarigirl.

TheSuperNerd:
Bafana Bafana Star – We Have Shown Cameroon How To Beat Nigeria




South Africa forward Themba Zwane who starred in their 2-0 win over Nigeria says Bafana Bafana have shown the rest of the world how to beat the senior national team of Nigeria.

The midfielder struck the woodwork twice in the game said South Africa could have won the game by more goals as the 2-0 scoreline didn’t justify their dominace in the game played at the Godswill Akpabio Stadium in Uyo.

He said their tactics of hitting Nigeria on the counter paid off, and insist that teams playing Nigeria who are to take on Cameroon next in the World Cup 2018 Qualifiers can borrow a leaf from their game plan.

“Upon our arrival at the airport there in Nigeria, some of the locals told us that we must forget about the possibility of beating their senior national team, especially at home. They told us that we were going to lose that encounter.

“That alone was the motivation for us to do well in that match. We also had a proper game plan. The coach told us to always maintain shape at the back and catch them on the counter. And we did that pretty well.”


**Ade Emmanuel

Source: http://owngoalnigeria.com/2017/06/19/bafana-bafana-star-we-have-shown-cameroon-how-to-beat-nigeria/

Shattapp there!!!

komekn:


I would advise extreme caution from the proposition you make.

I would rather play an over confident Cameroon that will be prone to mistakes that will underestimate our abilities and over estimate thier own attributes.

A wounder Lion is the most dangerous of predators.

Ooooops was referring to post by Safarigirl.

hmmmmmm.........

goldfish80:

I don't know your football background. But I will be surprised if you played organised football and still come up with some of these opinions you push out.

Kelechi played close to 70 minutes of a game and all you could muster to defend his poor output was about 3 misplaced passes which didn't get to him from midfield.

I never knew players were judged by the number passes which didn't get to them.

Let me explain this to you again. South Africa had their defence well organised. Their defence was set up high up the pitch which translated to an offside trap strategy. Balls over the top from midfield will look to have bypassed the defence which will mislead a spectator into thinking the ball was over hit.

The defence was so set up like that to deceive midfielders to hit those type of passes,which wouldn't come through anyway.
It is a dangerous strategy but if it works to perfection, what you saw last Saturday was about the result you will get.

This is the technical breakdown of what went down against Bafana.

Pls Oga goldfish hw many times was he cut offside in the game against s africans.. Abi u no watch the match ni

goldfish80:

I used Rantie as an example of a forward who still battled gamely for his team even when the passes weren't getting to him. He still made something happen.
If every intended pass found strikers it was intended for, football matches will be ending with scorelines like 40-52.

Pls remind me again, how many chances did he create after winning the aireal balls.

Transfer Zone: WHAT ABOUT VINCENT ENYEAMA TO REPLACE GIANLUIGI DONNARUMMA?

The AC Milan stopper appears primed to leave the San Siro; could The Cat replace him?

There had been much positivity around AC Milan so far this transfer window, with the Rossoneri—buoyed by significant Chinese investment—investing heavily in a series of talented players.


Mateo Musacchio, Andre Silva, Ricardo Rodriguez and Franck Kessie have all already arrived, while Borussia Dortmund hotshot Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Chelsea’s Diego Costa are just two other names to have been linked with a move to Lombardy.

However, 18-year-old wonderkid Gianluigi Donnarumma looks to have ruled out being part of Milan’s revolution.

The stopper, who has been on the club’s books since 2013, dealt a blow to all those who still believe in the loyalty of footballers when he revealed on Thursday that he had no intention of extending his deal with Milan.

His decision will have put many of Europe’s giants on red alert, and while the youngster is destined for a glittering future at Milan or elsewhere, the club’s immediate future between the sticks remains uncertain.

Pepe Reina, one option, has ruled himself out, while Norberto Neto, Wojciech Szczesny and Mattia Perin are all reportedly being considered by the club.

One player who hasn’t been mooted as a potential successor to Donnarumma is Nigeria’s Vincent Enyeama, even though it’s not clear what the future holds for him at LOSC Lille.



Earlier in the year, Goal reported that incoming Dogues boss Marcelo Bielsa favoured Lille deputy Mike Maignan over Enyeama, while the Argentine coach is also believed to be keen on Manchester City flop Claudio Bravo, and Crystal Palace’s Steve Mandanda.

Media reports suggest that Enyeama’s age—the stopper is 34—counts against him in Bielsa’s eyes, although it’s worth noting that that still makes him five years younger than Gianluigi Buffon, fresh off the back of a sixth successive Scudetto.

Bravo himself is only eight months younger than Enyeama, while Petr Cech and Iker Casillas are both older.





Indeed, while he may not have had a vintage season with Lille, it wasn’t all that long ago that Enyeama was on the cusp of breaking Ligue 1’s record for consecutive minutes without conceding.

Just ask Nigeria fans now whether they’d like the experienced Cat back between the sticks, particularly after Daniel Akpeyi’s miserable outing against Bafana Bafana.

Despite an underwhelming campaign by his own high standards, Lille still had the second best defensive record in the bottom 11 teams in the league, and Enyeama demonstrated on occasion that he’s still capable of the kind of agility and heroic resistance that helped him make his name.

Milan’s new owners will expect an immediate return on their investment, although Vincenzo Montella has opted to place a lot of faith in youth, and will be aware that he must get the right man between the sticks in order to provide a stable base upon which his team can grow.

He could do a lot worse than Enyeama, particularly with Bielsa likely to be receptive to any offer for the keeper.

At a glance, the West African may not appear to be a long-term option for Milan, but the club have a track record for getting the best out of players deep into their 30s, just look at Paolo Maldini, Alessandro Costacurta, Alessandro Nesta and Clarence Seedorf.

Similarly, the evidence of Buffon—while an exceptional case—indicates that if Serie A players handle themselves well, they can excel long after they pass 35. The goalkeeper was only embarking on Juve’s remarkable run of six in a row and was, in the eyes of some, yet to reach his peak.

Enyeama may not be one of the prominent names linked with a move to Milan as Donnarumma’s replacement, but he’s experienced, he’s available, and he has the quality to remind Montella that class is permanent.



Source: http://m.goal.com/s/en-ng/news/4102/transfer-zone/2017/06/19/36474712/what-about-vincent-enyeama-to-replace-gianluigi-donnarumma

in fact, the science of the game have long been studied and used to the detriment of many African teams. With our African way of holding on to crude ways of doing things.
Take for example the Chile game. I've watched other Cameroon friendlies that they have lost woefully. Although you can see that the Cameroon players are talented, but they are always outsmarted by clever tactics. This is where South Africa got it right against us.

Yes Sir TheSuperNerd we really need to look at our preferred formation and also assign roles to maximize the strengths of our top players. Where is that creative midfielder who can dictate the tempo of the game? Where is that player who can string all kind of passes with ease? We have enough forwards in our teams who can perform very well with the right midfield structure behind them. In today's game you can survive and even win tournaments without a true number 9, especially since dedicated winger roles have been almost discarded over the years. Today, we only speak of Left, Right and center forwards, who can play all three roles. Granted, we still have true number 9s. But you can't go on searching for a true Number 9 if the player is not readily available. Still speaking of the midfield, it seems we have many holding midfielders these days. However having one play on the same matchday can spell problems if their job is to do almost the same thing. I think for balance sake and for a good flow even if a player has many qualities he should be assigned a role, not saying he will not use his other qualities, but based on the game plan he will need to do more of one role than the other, and another player do the other more. I think a player like Ndidi has improved a lot in his passing game -- judging by the Senegal friendly. Let's talk about these roles, because this was the major problem in our midfield versus South Africa. Like I said earlier, the problem was not player selection in the midfield, but roles assignment.
Let's talk about Onazi, Ndidi, and Mikel. How about Ogu, Esiti, Etebo? What roles should they rather play in our winning 4-2-3-1 formation for example. Also considering an opponent like Cameroon.

TheSuperNerd:
Just as I predicted.... the thread went into a bashing tone just because of one loss....

I could easily predict who will bash who....

Sir TheGoodJoe... thank you for your invaluable analyses. You tried to be objective and you were to a great extent.... but when it came to Akpeyi. Lemme say this.... That guy is a nightmare... yeah... but he is better than an Agbim at least. "Slightly Better"... lol. That first goal have beaten a good number goalies I know and have seen on TV in top leagues. Besides... there is the saying that a "Header on target is 9 out of 10 times a goal".... that saying was back in the days when I was a junior forward in secondary school. I just recoined it...


And On Awaziem... wow! I remember being among the first to say His partnership with Ekong will likely feature against South Africa. I said so after the Togo game.... honestly when I saw him in the line-up, Initially I was happy... lad is good quality no doubt. But well... the occasion was too much for him and yes he had a game he wouldn't wanna remember but I wouldn't blame him entirely. Our Midfield was the problem >>>>> MIGHTY TRUTH... IF NO ONE HAMMERS ON THIS, THEN THAT PERSON IS TALKING ABSOLUTE TRASH.

I remember when I dropped a post here warning that that game will be lost and won in the midfield. I listed Furman and even a Zungu as men to be wary of but also said if our midfield three of Onazi, Ndidi and Etebo clicks.. then it would not be an issue. But On Saturday I saw The New Revelation of St. Eagles....

It seems Onazi and Ndidi cannot play together... On paper that midfield three looks really good and solid... but when played out... what did we see?? too many overhit passes to the forward line especially the center forward line... Iheanacho suffered Majorly from poor service and too many over hit passes and through balls... Up to about four or five times in that first half, My Goodness, Had it been Mikel or lemme say An Ajagun (WHERE IS FORGIVENESS?? He hasn't even taken advantage to make case for Ajagun since Etebo as a 10 just didn't click...), Iheanacho would have gotten those balls well hit to him and he will do the rest... and wreck those Southies.... but it was not to be..... Even a few minds who saw the game with me were always asking "Plsss, who is the person in that midfield hitting these rockets to outer space when the no.9 is just there and have opened up??" smh...

... But Hey Iheanacho also didn't have a great game.. he was simply below par but ofcos the best Eagles Chance of the first half was created by Him... Etebo flunked it!!! if Nacho had missed that we will be seeing new tones from the prosecuting attorney of Sir Goldfish80 and Sir Mickael2 pointing it out with the "I told you so" and "Nacho is not top quality" sticks.... loollll

Well... they both have been doing a good job of it lately. Kudos to their "Attorneyship"


It is amazing how Iheanacho became the center of the blame here when the midfield was the Eagles' problem all game!!! All the players were poor.... most especially all the midfielders.... Onazi (love him when he tries to make amends but in doing so some times, he ends up scattering our midfield organization), Ndidi (my favorite MF in the team after Mikel... lad was all over the place and no where at all... lol), and Etebo (our beloved workhorse.... was just confused as the guys watching and wondering who the hell is hitting those poor balls from the CMF/AMF positions to Kentucky when Nacho was in Baltimore) were all poor....... buuuutttt Simon Moses gave me the best response I expected from the other players when we went one nil down.

Simon moses showcased the fight and hunger in him with his daring plays...... but ofcos his end product is still lacking but at least we saw the fight in the lad.

I didn't see this fight in Iheanacho.... sorry... I Love him but he should have taken the bull by the horn also... seeing how scattered our midfielders were... Nacho should have talked to Etebo and Onazi (captain on the day and one of two most experienced players on the field that day)..... boned the tactics that were not working and simply taken matters into his hands... Like Dropping deep and allowing Etebo take up advanced positions upfront while he Nacho under chameleon effect takes over the No.10 role... he is still good at that (the no 10 role) God Dammit!!!!!

That way Ndidi and Onazi will adjust and Maybe.. just maybe we would have salvaged a draw.... who knows?

NOW THIS IS ME TALKING FROM A PERSONAL ANALYTICAL STANDPOINT... BUT STILL, HE IS NOT TO BLAME... His primary duty as the no.9 was well defined and he stuck to it... but the passes from midfield were always Overhit and "overcooked" (Mind if I borrow that word Sir BascoVanVeli... thank you )

So in all.... I could go on and on.... But let me commend Sir Joebie for trying to bring back that science of the game talk.... gosh! our team really needs to be looked at and let us decide on the one formation that suits us... and the players best for that formation... Even if it means Iheanacho benches... then so be it mehn! I just Want the Super Eagles to grow into world class competitive level... but you see a player like Nacho?

I see him occupying a big role in this team's future.... we have to be fair when analysing the lad. The act he pulled when dragging his feet and being almost non-challant to the sub situation he found himself didn't actually mean Disrespect...... nooo... Nacho was not disrespecting anyone... neither was he just being Stupid.

Truth is this... from a keen psychological point of view... I have it on good authority that Nacho's attitude that day was the reaction you see from " Winners" or "Players with winners' attitude".... Champions beat and blame themselves even when the bulk of blame is not theirs to bear...

Nacho sees himself as one of the team's saviors when it matters most and HE JUST DIDN'T COME TO THE PARTY. He was just BELOW PAR. Yes we can talk on and on about the Over hit passes but truth is... Champions make the best out of any situation they find themselves and Nacho knew within himself that he didn't do enough. So he was right to shoulder the blame.. because that, right there, is what Champions (or players with champions attitude) do.




Teaser: Do you know that The June 10 historical loss to South Africa was Iheanacho's First Loss as A Super Eagles player when on the pitch?? He has only known Victories and draws... He was not even involved in the 1-0 loss in Alexandria, Egypt under Siasia...

That should tell you more of the psychological wave of guilt that swept through Nacho's mind when he saw himself being substituted... Imagine when you are nicknamed " Goals" and the coach takes you "Goals" out.... loolll... that is game over for you and for the team. Nacho knew that and he was indeed Below par in that game. Case Closed on Nacho. He will bounce back stronger I am sure... but let the best and most suitable start against Cameoroun... if august comes and it is still Nacho... then fellas... sorry... Nacho must play. Gbam!



Lemme end it here....
or should I?

From now, let's move on forward... one loss cannot suddenly rubbish the fact that we indeed have a golden generation on our hands....

We just have to get things right and utilise the very best we have... NOT BASED ON WHO PLAYS FOR THE BIG CLUBS... NOPE! BUT ON WHO IS TOP QUALITY EAGLES MATERIALS....

Sir JOEBIE DROPPED A LIST OF THE CAMEROONIAN TEAM THAT CONQUERED AFRICA... I remember Sir Goldfish80 talking about the quality of that team... he was right about them and we saw how they roared to the title...

It is not in glamorous clubs that we must base our analysis of the team's Line-up....... it is in actual top talents and what these players can bring to the team...

When I talk for Iheanacho for instance, it is because I know what that lad brings and we all here know it too... we know his talents and his growing reputation... IT IS NOT because HE IS IN MANCHESTER CITY.... NOPE!!!

It is because Kelechi is truly a class-Act.

When I called Mikel World class... people said I was stupid... and just crazily sentimental... you see now that he is the one world class quality that would have won us that game against South Africa and even made Awaziem's debut look so good sef... I bet you that had Mikel been on that pitch leading that team... we would have won and Awaziem will be hailed as Omeruo's quick super replacement...

Mikel's quality alone covered for the team's loop holes... but many didn't know... yet Some time ago... some of you wanted Mikel out... it is okay... sebi I am still mad to call him World class...See as i just dey look all of una....

The only invasion the thread ever experienced was becos I called Mikel World class... Some even termed him useless and a non-entity.... chaiiii... Now guys are saying... Ohhh Mikel is so important to the team... he was greatly missed. Shut up joor! Na now some people dey know... Loolll










Bottomline:

We need to move forward and do so wisely... WE MUST NOT BE OVERLY REACTIONARY because OF ONE LOSS... Like Sir Jospeh1013, I too am not bothered we lost... To be honest I kinda saw it coming after seeing Baxter's last batch of technical interviews before the game. He got our team spot on and knew we wouldn't be fielding a Mikel or moses or balogun or Ikeme... he played on our subtle weaknesses and exposed them... and that was my biggest silent fear... and our midfield made matters worse than worst....

I just didn't wanna be seen as suddenly "Pessimistic" which is why I stayed away long before the game began but coincidentally I also fell sick (wasn't feeling too good in the week leading up to the game)... so I'm back... and it is for us to move forward...

Enough of the bashings... Let's move forward...

Enough of "Experience vs Youth..."

Truth is Both failed us that day... But we have the chance to make things right.

We still have a new golden generation on our hands people... this is the gospel truth... let us not blow it.... we can see this through...

come on now... let's do this okay... come on y'all...

Let's make a come back...

in fact, the science of the game have long been studied and used to the detriment of many African teams. With our African way of holding on to crude ways of doing things we should always expect to lose matches from a tactical standpoint.
Take for example the Chile game. I've watched other Cameroon friendlies that they have lost woefully. Although you can see that the Cameroon players are talented, but they are always outsmarted by clever tactics. This is where South Africa got it right against us.

Yes Sir TheSuperNerd we really need to look at our preferred formation and also assign roles to maximize the strengths of our top players. Where is that creative midfielder who can dictate the tempo of the game? Where is that player who can string all kind of passes with ease? We have enough forwards in our teams who can perform very well with the right midfield structure behind them. In today's game you can survive and even win tournaments without a true number 9, especially since dedicated winger roles have been almost discarded over the years. Today, we only speak of Left, Right and center forwards, who can play all three roles. Granted, we still have true number 9s. But you can't go on searching for a true Number 9 if the player is not readily available. Still speaking of the midfield, it seems we have many holding midfielders these days. However having more than one of them play on the same matchday can spell problems if their job is to do almost the same thing. I think for balance sake and for a good flow even if a player has many qualities he should be assigned a role, not saying he will not use his other qualities, but based on the game plan he will need to do more of one role than the other, and another player do the other more. I think a player like Ndidi has improved a lot in his passing game -- judging by the Senegal friendly. Let's talk about these roles, because this was the major problem in our midfield versus South Africa. Like I said earlier, the problem was not player selection in the midfield, but roles assignment.
Let's talk about Onazi, Ndidi, and Mikel. How about Ogu, Esiti, Etebo? What roles should they rather play in our winning 4-2-3-1 formation for example. Also considering an opponent like Cameroon.

TheSuperNerd:
Just as I predicted.... the thread went into a bashing tone just because of one loss....

I could easily predict who will bash who....

Sir TheGoodJoe... thank you for your invaluable analyses. You tried to be objective and you were to a great extent.... but when it came to Akpeyi. Lemme say this.... That guy is a nightmare... yeah... but he is better than an Agbim at least. "Slightly Better"... lol. That first goal have beaten a good number goalies I know and have seen on TV in top leagues. Besides... there is the saying that a "Header on target is 9 out of 10 times a goal".... that saying was back in the days when I was a junior forward in secondary school. I just recoined it...


And On Awaziem... wow! I remember being among the first to say His partnership with Ekong will likely feature against South Africa. I said so after the Togo game.... honestly when I saw him in the line-up, Initially I was happy... lad is good quality no doubt. But well... the occasion was too much for him and yes he had a game he wouldn't wanna remember but I wouldn't blame him entirely. Our Midfield was the problem >>>>> MIGHTY TRUTH... IF NO ONE HAMMERS ON THIS, THEN THAT PERSON IS TALKING ABSOLUTE TRASH.

I remember when I dropped a post here warning that that game will be lost and won in the midfield. I listed Furman and even a Zungu as men to be wary of but also said if our midfield three of Onazi, Ndidi and Etebo clicks.. then it would not be an issue. But On Saturday I saw The New Revelation of St. Eagles....

It seems Onazi and Ndidi cannot play together... On paper that midfield three looks really good and solid... but when played out... what did we see?? too many overhit passes to the forward line especially the center forward line... Iheanacho suffered Majorly from poor service and too many over hit passes and through balls... Up to about four or five times in that first half, My Goodness, Had it been Mikel or lemme say An Ajagun (WHERE IS FORGIVENESS?? He hasn't even taken advantage to make case for Ajagun since Etebo as a 10 just didn't click...), Iheanacho would have gotten those balls well hit to him and he will do the rest... and wreck those Southies.... but it was not to be..... Even a few minds who saw the game with me were always asking "Plsss, who is the person in that midfield hitting these rockets to outer space when the no.9 is just there and have opened up??" smh...

... But Hey Iheanacho also didn't have a great game.. he was simply below par but ofcos the best Eagles Chance of the first half was created by Him... Etebo flunked it!!! if Nacho had missed that we will be seeing new tones from the prosecuting attorney of Sir Goldfish80 and Sir Mickael2 pointing it out with the "I told you so" and "Nacho is not top quality" sticks.... loollll

Well... they both have been doing a good job of it lately. Kudos to their "Attorneyship"


It is amazing how Iheanacho became the center of the blame here when the midfield was the Eagles' problem all game!!! All the players were poor.... most especially all the midfielders.... Onazi (love him when he tries to make amends but in doing so some times, he ends up scattering our midfield organization), Ndidi (my favorite MF in the team after Mikel... lad was all over the place and no where at all... lol), and Etebo (our beloved workhorse.... was just confused as the guys watching and wondering who the hell is hitting those poor balls from the CMF/AMF positions to Kentucky when Nacho was in Baltimore) were all poor....... buuuutttt Simon Moses gave me the best response I expected from the other players when we went one nil down.

Simon moses showcased the fight and hunger in him with his daring plays...... but ofcos his end product is still lacking but at least we saw the fight in the lad.

I didn't see this fight in Iheanacho.... sorry... I Love him but he should have taken the bull by the horn also... seeing how scattered our midfielders were... Nacho should have talked to Etebo and Onazi (captain on the day and one of two most experienced players on the field that day)..... boned the tactics that were not working and simply taken matters into his hands... Like Dropping deep and allowing Etebo take up advanced positions upfront while he Nacho under chameleon effect takes over the No.10 role... he is still good at that (the no 10 role) God Dammit!!!!!

That way Ndidi and Onazi will adjust and Maybe.. just maybe we would have salvaged a draw.... who knows?

NOW THIS IS ME TALKING FROM A PERSONAL ANALYTICAL STANDPOINT... BUT STILL, HE IS NOT TO BLAME... His primary duty as the no.9 was well defined and he stuck to it... but the passes from midfield were always Overhit and "overcooked" (Mind if I borrow that word Sir BascoVanVeli... thank you )

So in all.... I could go on and on.... But let me commend Sir Joebie for trying to bring back that science of the game talk.... gosh! our team really needs to be looked at and let us decide on the one formation that suits us... and the players best for that formation... Even if it means Iheanacho benches... then so be it mehn! I just Want the Super Eagles to grow into world class competitive level... but you see a player like Nacho?

I see him occupying a big role in this team's future.... we have to be fair when analysing the lad. The act he pulled when dragging his feet and being almost non-challant to the sub situation he found himself didn't actually mean Disrespect...... nooo... Nacho was not disrespecting anyone... neither was he just being Stupid.

Truth is this... from a keen psychological point of view... I have it on good authority that Nacho's attitude that day was the reaction you see from " Winners" or "Players with winners' attitude".... Champions beat and blame themselves even when the bulk of blame is not theirs to bear...

Nacho sees himself as one of the team's saviors when it matters most and HE JUST DIDN'T COME TO THE PARTY. He was just BELOW PAR. Yes we can talk on and on about the Over hit passes but truth is... Champions make the best out of any situation they find themselves and Nacho knew within himself that he didn't do enough. So he was right to shoulder the blame.. because that, right there, is what Champions (or players with champions attitude) do.




Teaser: Do you know that The June 10 historical loss to South Africa was Iheanacho's First Loss as A Super Eagles player when on the pitch?? He has only known Victories and draws... He was not even involved in the 1-0 loss in Alexandria, Egypt under Siasia...

That should tell you more of the psychological wave of guilt that swept through Nacho's mind when he saw himself being substituted... Imagine when you are nicknamed " Goals" and the coach takes you "Goals" out.... loolll... that is game over for you and for the team. Nacho knew that and he was indeed Below par in that game. Case Closed on Nacho. He will bounce back stronger I am sure... but let the best and most suitable start against Cameoroun... if august comes and it is still Nacho... then fellas... sorry... Nacho must play. Gbam!



Lemme end it here....
or should I?

From now, let's move on forward... one loss cannot suddenly rubbish the fact that we indeed have a golden generation on our hands....

We just have to get things right and utilise the very best we have... NOT BASED ON WHO PLAYS FOR THE BIG CLUBS... NOPE! BUT ON WHO IS TOP QUALITY EAGLES MATERIALS....

Sir JOEBIE DROPPED A LIST OF THE CAMEROONIAN TEAM THAT CONQUERED AFRICA... I remember Sir Goldfish80 talking about the quality of that team... he was right about them and we saw how they roared to the title...

It is not in glamorous clubs that we must base our analysis of the team's Line-up....... it is in actual top talents and what these players can bring to the team...

When I talk for Iheanacho for instance, it is because I know what that lad brings and we all here know it too... we know his talents and his growing reputation... IT IS NOT because HE IS IN MANCHESTER CITY.... NOPE!!!

It is because Kelechi is truly a class-Act.

When I called Mikel World class... people said I was stupid... and just crazily sentimental... you see now that he is the one world class quality that would have won us that game against South Africa and even made Awaziem's debut look so good sef... I bet you that had Mikel been on that pitch leading that team... we would have won and Awaziem will be hailed as Omeruo's quick super replacement...

Mikel's quality alone covered for the team's loop holes... but many didn't know... yet Some time ago... some of you wanted Mikel out... it is okay... sebi I am still mad to call him World class...See as i just dey look all of una....

The only invasion the thread ever experienced was becos I called Mikel World class... Some even termed him useless and a non-entity.... chaiiii... Now guys are saying... Ohhh Mikel is so important to the team... he was greatly missed. Shut up joor! Na now some people dey know... Loolll










Bottomline:

We need to move forward and do so wisely... WE MUST NOT BE OVERLY REACTIONARY because OF ONE LOSS... Like Sir Jospeh1013, I too am not bothered we lost... To be honest I kinda saw it coming after seeing Baxter's last batch of technical interviews before the game. He got our team spot on and knew we wouldn't be fielding a Mikel or moses or balogun or Ikeme... he played on our subtle weaknesses and exposed them... and that was my biggest silent fear... and our midfield made matters worse than worst....

I just didn't wanna be seen as suddenly "Pessimistic" which is why I stayed away long before the game began but coincidentally I also fell sick (wasn't feeling too good in the week leading up to the game)... so I'm back... and it is for us to move forward...

Enough of the bashings... Let's move forward...

Enough of "Experience vs Youth..."

Truth is Both failed us that day... But we have the chance to make things right.

We still have a new golden generation on our hands people... this is the gospel truth... let us not blow it.... we can see this through...

come on now... let's do this okay... come on y'all...

Let's make a come back...

Rohr Watches With Keen Interest As Arsenal's Main Man Inspires Chile To Beat Cameroon




Super Eagles coach Gernot Rohr will monitor the Cameroon
national team at the 2017 Confederations Cup.

The Nigeria Football Federation have informed that the German tactician embarked on a scouting mission to identify the danger men and the playing style of the Indomitable Lions ahead of the national team's World Cup qualifier against the African champs in August.

''Rohr will be at the Confederations Cup as part of the team’s preparations for the matches against Cameroon,” NFF general secretary Mohammed Sanusi said in a statement, according to scorenigeria.com.ng.

Arsenal star Alexis Sanchez came off the bench in the 58th minute to inspire Chile to a 2-0 win over the Africans, he set up Arturo Vidal for the opener before Eduardo Vargas scored a second in the last minute.

It is all but confirmed that Rohr will return to Russia in a year's time, and not as a tourist, if the Super Eagles beat Cameroon home and away in their next two competitive fixtures.


**Igho Kingsley

Source: http://allnigeriasoccer.com/read_news.php?nid=23468

Everything happens for a reason. Our loss to SA will be a blessing in disguise. Cameroon has all these matches to their advantage. But my question is are they really getting better playing as a unit more?

TheSuperNerd:
Rohr Watches With Keen Interest As Arsenal's Main Man Inspires Chile To Beat Cameroon




Super Eagles coach Gernot Rohr will monitor the Cameroon
national team at the 2017 Confederations Cup.

The Nigeria Football Federation have informed that the German tactician embarked on a scouting mission to identify the danger men and the playing style of the Indomitable Lions ahead of the national team's World Cup qualifier against the African champs in August.

''Rohr will be at the Confederations Cup as part of the team’s preparations for the matches against Cameroon,” NFF general secretary Mohammed Sanusi said in a statement, according to scorenigeria.com.ng.

Arsenal star Alexis Sanchez came off the bench in the 58th minute to inspire Chile to a 2-0 win over the Africans, he set up Arturo Vidal for the opener before Eduardo Vargas scored a second in the last minute.

It is all but confirmed that Rohr will return to Russia in a year's time, and not as a tourist, if the Super Eagles beat Cameroon home and away in their next two competitive fixtures.


**Igho Kingsley

Source: http://allnigeriasoccer.com/read_news.php?nid=23468

You know I'd hold you to ur word. So don't be shocked if you get subpoenaed by FIFA. Lol. But I hope Naija wins both legs and close the qualifiers by September. But to be on the safest path, hence my defensive approach.

Humility017:


please stop these permutations..

I don't expect any Nigerian to do these mathematics during these WCQ
mind you...we're beating the Cameroonians in Nigeria and also beat them away...
you can report me to FIFA
the loss against RSA...will spur the eagles to surprise every Nigerian
just watch out....

Leicester To Increase Bid For Iheanacho As City Adds Forward To Pre Season Tour Squad



Kelechi Iheanacho has been informed by manager Pep Guardiola that he will be part of the club pre season tour to the United State of America despite doubts over his future at the club.

Iheanacho as exclusively reported by Owngoalnigeria.com has been told he will only be allowed to leave the club if a replacement is found by the club before the end of the ongoing summer transfer window.

Leicester City who have now emerged as the front runners to sign the prolific 20 year old will slap in another bid for the forward before the end of this month, as they continue their search for a replacement for want-away star Riyad Mahrez.

Their first bid of around 22 million pounds with add ons which will take the fee to 25 million pounds was turned down by Manchester City, as the club also need money from his sale to sign a replacement.

City reportedly want around 25 million pounds plus add- ons which will potentially rise the fee to 30 million pounds aside the issue of buy back clause, which they are insisting on.

Already the issue of the fee in the buy-back clause has stalled the interest from West Ham United, the first side to have slapped in a bid for the Nigerian striker.


**Daniel Martins

Source: http://owngoalnigeria.com/2017/06/19/leicester-to-increase-bid-for-iheanacho-as-city-adds-forward-to-pre-season-tour-squad/

Done Deal – Belgium Side Lokeren Swap Ticinovic For Rijeka Nigerian Ace Theophilus Solomon




Hot in demand Nigerian forward Theophilus Solomon will in the coming days arrive Belgium to officially complete his move to top league side Lokeren.

Lokeren have already agreed to a swap deal which will see the 21 year old Nigerian forward join them in exchange for their player Mario Ticinovic, Owngoalnigeria.com can exclusively reveal.

Billed as the next big thing to happen to Nigeria football, Solomon experienced a lull in his career but a move to second division side Sibenik, and subsequently top division side Istra has helped him discover the form that made him a big hit in Nigeria at the age of 16.

A source close to the player confirmed he will apply for a Belgium visa this week, and if granted he will be arriving Belgium before the end of the week to complete his move.

He is expected to sign a four year deal with the option of a fifth based on performance in his first four years at the club.


**Daniel Martins

Source: http://owngoalnigeria.com/2017/06/19/done-deal-belgium-side-lokeren-swap-ticinovic-for-rijeka-nigerian-ace-theophilus-solomon/

The Jupiler League is the place to go next season. Most of our youngsters are moving there.

TheSuperNerd:
Done Deal – Belgium Side Lokeren Swap Ticinovic For Rijeka Nigerian Ace Theophilus Solomon




Hot in demand Nigerian forward Theophilus Solomon will in the coming days arrive Belgium to officially complete his move to top league side Lokeren.

Lokeren have already agreed to a swap deal which will see the 21 year old Nigerian forward join them in exchange for their player Mario Ticinovic, Owngoalnigeria.com can exclusively reveal.

Billed as the next big thing to happen to Nigeria football, Solomon experienced a lull in his career but a move to second division side Sibenik, and subsequently top division side Istra has helped him discover the form that made him a big hit in Nigeria at the age of 16.

A source close to the player confirmed he will apply for a Belgium visa this week, and if granted he will be arriving Belgium before the end of the week to complete his move.

He is expected to sign a four year deal with the option of a fifth based on performance in his first four years at the club.


**Daniel Martins

Source: http://owngoalnigeria.com/2017/06/19/done-deal-belgium-side-lokeren-swap-ticinovic-for-rijeka-nigerian-ace-theophilus-solomon/

Nicely said Sir Joebie.... nicely said indeed.

You see for years since I started following the beautiful game, Africa has always come up short because we somewhat just refuse to get grounded in the science of the game. This has been a problem for years and decades upon decades upon decades long before I was even born.

But thank Goodness for Information that is readily available to us all. We can make things Right. Some of our coaches are beginning to recognise thus science of the game stuff such as Nduka Ugbade, Manu Garba and Amuneke. Information rightly applied is indeed power.

Okay so we have Rohr and his team of Experts and I hope they bring their knowledge to the fore in full volume because this super eagles team has the full potentials to execute great formations like 4-2-3-1, 4-3-3, 4-5-1, 4-4-2, 4-3-1-2, and whatever else..... even the 3-4-3 can be executed if mastered enough based on the depth of playing personnel we have that can execute such roles.


But talking 4-2-3-1 mainly..... or even 4-3-3 or 4-4-1-1.... You are right that it is much more about Roles assignments and I will also add, "near perfect" to it.


Ndidi is a dmf, yes but has the potentials to operate as a CMF.... he's got a better range of passing compared to Ogenyi Onazi. And he also got a fair high level of Great Vision too.

Now Onazi on the other hand is a destroyer.... he does the dirty work and is good at laying off those short passes to the other midfielders around him in more advanced roles. Onazi is an asset when a team wanna win the balls and gives his midfield partners a fighting chance to work out team plays of their own.


Now the big question is.... Who should be our no.4?

Wilfred Onyinye Ndidi who also got great potentials as a CMF in addition to his Primary DMF portfolio... Orrrrr... Ogenyi Eddy Onazi, who when disciplined can give a remarkable as the no.4 as he did at Afcon 2013 where Mikel was playing deeplying playmaker/CMF allowing Sunday MBA bomb forward as the Roaming AMF and Onazi doing the destroying work and laying it off with quick timed short passes for Mikel to spray the passes to the wingers or the center forwards.


Or thinking wider beyond those Two above... Should we bring in Azubuike Okechukwu, who is a DMF with good playmaking skills/abilities??

or Should it be Mikel Agu of Fc Porto who is a destroyer-like battler and also good as a ball playing DMF.... or the KAA Gent Lad, Anderson Esiti who is very good as the midfield anchor in the no.4 role for his good range of passing and calm distribution abilities plus neat marking ....??

If Mikel Agu and Esiti are to be considered alongside Onazi...... then it means The likes of Ndidi should be groomed for the CMF role.... But what about the AMF position?

We got Mikel (midfield all-rounder as a DMF, CMF and AMF with his super wealth of boundless class and experience).... super proven, Super tested, world class, anytime-anyday top performer for the Super Eagles. But in his absence then what??

Alexander Iwobi is the closest we can get to Mikel Obi in that role (AMF) among the players who has featured under Rohr.... But he is always getting played on the left side of attack and he is no Left wing forward... but more of a left-sided Creative midfielder. Iwobi should be made to fit in as one of our no.10 options for his abilities to also dictate plays and open up team's defences and crear countless chances thanks to his Boundless Vision, mad Skills and Confidence to dictate a game's tempo (if given the chance).


Kelechi Iheanacho can also play the no.10 and has got excellent vision, beautiful thru-the-eye-of-a-needle passing abilities too but his style is a bit different from Alex.... Alex brings a more beautiful melody and sexiness to that role as seen when he did it a few times for Arsenal last season(this past season).


If not.... then we may have to look at Forgiveness' Ajagun (who is very well technically gifted and got a very good passing range and vision too).... or even an Aluko, who is more direct as an AMF but comes with his bag of quick feet and skills too and ability to unlock stubborn defences with his constant probings.

For the future, Kelechi Nwakali is another player who deserves a keen look in for the AMF/CMF roles also for the lad is blessed by the gods of the midfield game. He needs to be groomed too for the future.

So we have a lot to discuss and a lot to really set right in terms of the "deep anatomy and actual physiology" of our team for now and the near future and in case certain Generals of the team are unavailable because of Injuries or whatever.



So in answer to your first two questions in bold....

For now, I will say "Mikel Obi" But we must start grooming his stand-by and replacement whenever he is not available and also ahead of his retirement Post-2019 Afcon


As for Etebo.... He is super versatile but I believe his best roles were the roles he shone most for Nigeria in these scenarios:


- against Algeria (as the destroyer-like CMF in a double pivot with Onazi where Onazi sat and he, Etebo was mobile and roamed the Central midfield positions marking and winning balls to feed Our orchestrator, Mikel Obi to work his passing magic)

- Against Japan and co at the Olympics (as the left-wing forward who always love to bomb forward and take on players with his searing pace and power and also get into goal scoring positions)

- Against All opponents at the U-23 Afcon 2015 (as the man behind the striker as the SS where he can always improvise his own moves using his goal instincts, positioning and boundless pace to tear apart defences).

Joebie:
in fact, the science of the game have long been studied and used to the detriment of many African teams. With our African way of holding on to crude ways of doing things we should always expect to lose matches from a tactical standpoint.
Take for example the Chile game. I've watched other Cameroon friendlies that they have lost woefully. Although you can see that the Cameroon players are talented, but they are always outsmarted by clever tactics. This is where South Africa got it right against us.

Yes Sir TheSuperNerd we really need to look at our preferred formation and also assign roles to maximize the strengths of our top players. Where is that creative midfielder who can dictate the tempo of the game? Where is that player who can string all kind of passes with ease? We have enough forwards in our teams who can perform very well with the right midfield structure behind them. In today's game you can survive and even win tournaments without a true number 9, especially since dedicated winger roles have been almost discarded over the years. Today, we only speak of Left, Right and center forwards, who can play all three roles. Granted, we still have true number 9s. But you can't go on searching for a true Number 9 if the player is not readily available. Still speaking of the midfield, it seems we have many holding midfielders these days. However having more than one of them play on the same matchday can spell problems if their job is to do almost the same thing. I think for balance sake and for a good flow even if a player has many qualities he should be assigned a role, not saying he will not use his other qualities, but based on the game plan he will need to do more of one role than the other, and another player do the other more. I think a player like Ndidi has improved a lot in his passing game -- judging by the Senegal friendly. Let's talk about these roles, because this was the major problem in our midfield versus South Africa. Like I said earlier, the problem was not player selection in the midfield, but roles assignment.
Let's talk about Onazi, Ndidi, and Mikel. How about Ogu, Esiti, Etebo? What roles should they rather play in our winning 4-2-3-1 formation for example. Also considering an opponent like Cameroon.

Gent Dismiss Rumours Linking Esiti To PSG, Borussia Dortmund




Belgian First Division A club Gent have dismissed speculations linking their midfielder Anderson Esiti to Paris Saint-Germain,VfB Stuttgart and Borussia Dortmund.

Widespread reports had suggested that the defensive midfielder was in advanced talks with PSG, but an official of Gent said they have not had any communication of any sort with the overseas clubs.

''We have not heard anything yet. So far no club has approached us to discuss about Esiti, '' a Gent official said to Voetbalkrant.com.

The 23-year-old Esiti recorded 37 appearances in all competitions for Gent last season, logging 2,429 minutes.

The former GD Estoril Praia and Leixões SC ace has a contract with the The Buffalos for the next three seasons.


**Igho Kingsley
Photo Credit : kaagent.be


Source: http://allnigeriasoccer.com/read_news.php?nid=23471

Bielsa Targets Mandanda As Enyeama ’ s Backup At Lille OSC





Lille manager, Marcelo Bielsa is targeting Crystal Palace goalkeeper, Steve Mandanda as a backup to Vincent Enyeama ahead of the forthcoming French Ligue-One season, reports Completesportsnigeria.com .

Bielsa was appointed as Lille's new manager in May replacing interim boss Franck Passi.

According to a report on France football, the 61-year-old who signed a two-year contract with the French side does not have absolute faith in 21 year old Mike Maignan as a backup to Enyeama.

Enyeama who has two years left on his current deal conceded 40 goals and kept eight clean sheets in 32 Ligue 1 appearances last season.

Bielsa however has identified Mandanda as his preferred choice to compete with Enyeama who will turn 35 in August ahead of next season.

The French international made nine English Premier League appearances for Crystal Palace and he is desperate to leave this summer.


Source: http://www.completesportsnigeria.com/bielsa-targets-mandanda-enyeamas-backup-lille/

shout out to super nerd, joebie for their balanced write ups. in my humble estimation if we are going to get anything against the cameroonians in september we would really need to find a player with that creative spark to undue them. it would be fool hardy to say it will be enough matching them in their physical play. i think we have better technical players and that's the kind of play we should impose and not gidigbo football. we should take a cue from okocha and kanu's performances against them in the 2000 and 2004 AFCON. plus we need to be strategic if getting two draws is the best we can get against them then so be it we would still be leading our group no matter how the matches between zambia and algeria pan out. the cameroonians need the win more than we do.

another side note from the south africa game is our failure to utilize set pieces especially corner kicks even though we created a gazillion of them this is not good enough since we are blessed with big guys. coach rohr earn your pay on this regard

TheSuperNerd:
Nicely said Sir Joebie.... nicely said indeed.

You see for years since I started following the beautiful game, Africa has always come up short because we somewhat just refuse to get grounded in the science of the game. This has been a problem for years and decades upon decades upon decades long before I was even born.

But thank Goodness for Information that is readily available to us all. We can make things Right. Some of our coaches are beginning to recognise thus science of the game stuff such as Nduka Ugbade, Manu Garba and Amuneke. Information rightly applied is indeed power.

Okay so we have Rohr and his team of Experts and I hope they bring their knowledge to the fore in full volume because this super eagles team has the full potentials to execute great formations like 4-2-3-1, 4-3-3, 4-5-1, 4-4-2, 4-3-1-2, and whatever else..... even the 3-4-3 can be executed if mastered enough based on the depth of playing personnel we have that can execute such roles.


But talking 4-2-3-1 mainly..... or even 4-3-3 or 4-4-1-1.... You are right that it is much more about Roles assignments and I will also add, "near perfect" to it.


Ndidi is a dmf, yes but has the potentials to operate as a CMF.... he's got a better range of passing compared to Ogenyi Onazi. And he also got a fair high level of Great Vision too.

Now Onazi on the other hand is a destroyer.... he does the dirty work and is good at laying off those short passes to the other midfielders around him in more advanced roles. Onazi is an asset when a team wanna win the balls and gives his midfield partners a fighting chance to work out team plays of their own.


Now the big question is.... Who should be our no.4?

Wilfred Onyinye Ndidi who also got great potentials as a CMF in addition to his Primary DMF portfolio... Orrrrr... Ogenyi Eddy Onazi, who when disciplined can give a remarkable as the no.4 as he did at Afcon 2013 where Mikel was playing deeplying playmaker/CMF allowing Sunday MBA bomb forward as the Roaming AMF and Onazi doing the destroying work and laying it off with quick timed short passes for Mikel to spray the passes to the wingers or the center forwards.


Or thinking wider beyond those Two above... Should we bring in Azubuike Okechukwu, who is a DMF with good playmaking skills/abilities??

or Should it be Mikel Agu of Fc Porto who is a destroyer-like battler and also good as a ball playing DMF.... or the KAA Gent Lad, Anderson Esiti who is very good as the midfield anchor in the no.4 role for his good range of passing and calm distribution abilities plus neat marking ....??

If Mikel Agu and Esiti are to be considered alongside Onazi...... then it means The likes of Ndidi should be groomed for the CMF role.... But what about the AMF position?

We got Mikel (midfield all-rounder as a DMF, CMF and AMF with his super wealth of boundless class and experience).... super proven, Super tested, world class, anytime-anyday top performer for the Super Eagles. But in his absence then what??

Alexander Iwobi is the closest we can get to Mikel Obi in that role (AMF) among the players who has featured under Rohr.... But he is always getting played on the left side of attack and he is no Left wing forward... but more of a left-sided Creative midfielder. Iwobi should be made to fit in as one of our no.10 options for his abilities to also dictate plays and open up team's defences and crear countless chances thanks to his Boundless Vision, mad Skills and Confidence to dictate a game's tempo (if given the chance).


Kelechi Iheanacho can also play the no.10 and has got excellent vision, beautiful thru-the-eye-of-a-needle passing abilities too but his style is a bit different from Alex.... Alex brings a more beautiful melody and sexiness to that role as seen when he did it a few times for Arsenal last season(this past season).


If not.... then we may have to look at Forgiveness' Ajagun (who is very well technically gifted and got a very good passing range and vision too).... or even an Aluko, who is more direct as an AMF but comes with his bag of quick feet and skills too and ability to unlock stubborn defences with his constant probings.

For the future, Kelechi Nwakali is another player who deserves a keen look in for the AMF/CMF roles also for the lad is blessed by the gods of the midfield game. He needs to be groomed too for the future.

So we have a lot to discuss and a lot to really set right in terms of the "deep anatomy and actual physiology" of our team for now and the near future and in case certain Generals of the team are unavailable because of Injuries or whatever.



So in answer to your first two questions in bold....

For now, I will say "Mikel Obi" But we must start grooming his stand-by and replacement whenever he is not available and also ahead of his retirement Post-2019 Afcon


As for Etebo.... He is super versatile but I believe his best roles were the roles he shone most for Nigeria in these scenarios:


- against Algeria (as the destroyer-like CMF in a double pivot with Onazi where Onazi sat and he, Etebo was mobile and roamed the Central midfield positions marking and winning balls to feed Our orchestrator, Mikel Obi to work his passing magic)

- Against Japan and co at the Olympics (as the left-wing forward who always love to bomb forward and take on players with his searing pace and power and also get into goal scoring positions)

- Against All opponents at the U-23 Afcon 2015 (as the man behind the striker as the SS where he can always improvise his own moves using his goal instincts, positioning and boundless pace to tear apart defences).

what a balanced debate. kudos

for all those who want Tammy Abraham so bad just watch this U21 championship, first match and the second match that us currently on going, the boy still has a long way to go, almost exactly like Nacho, he is not more talented than Nacho

Very good analysis Sir TheSuperNerd.

Now the question.. who to start against Cameroon? Let's focus on the midfield.
The 4-2-3-1 formation gives room for two defensive midfielders if i'm not mistaking. But one of them would still be more dedicated to being a holding midfielder

Optioni 1: Mikel is a sure starter for his experience, and we expect him to rise up to this kind of opposition any day anytime. He has a lot of top games under his belt. Can't take that away from him. It is most certain he will get his AMF role although I prefer Mikel in the number 4 role, but with the absence of a creative midfielder, Mikel is the closest and the only option we have, until we allow Iwobi show us his stuff in that position. That takes us back to your question. Who gets the number 4 role? Onazi, Ndidi, Ogu? I think I will make a case for Esiti ONLY based on his recent exploits with Gent. The number 4 is one of, if not the most important position in a team. In fact it is the player that GUARANTEES control of the midfield. And i'm beginning to think this is why we lost to SA. We will need that holding midfielder, who may not necessarily play as such for most part of the match considering the physical Cameroon. But we will need that role every now and then, I think especially for the Cameroon tie Esiti looks well suited for it, and can hardly be destroyed force versus force. It is not for no reason he is nicknamed The Rock in Belgium. But can he rise up to that occasion?

In CMF, we know Onazi for his tackles which frustrates can frustrate any team. But he has to do more of short passes because his long passes are awful. Should Onazi play as a CMF then? How about Ndidi? This take us to another option.

Option 2: Should iwobi be given the chance, and should our forwards know just how to position themselves to take advantage of Iwobi's fast and splitting passes, I believe the lad will excel as he wouldn't have to come against the Cameroonians physically much.

Then we can have Mikel do what he did for Chelsea for about a decade. It is indeed very true that the player with the #4 shirt can sometimes go under-appreciated by fans because he is rarely the one who scores the crucial goal or makes the last ditch tackles. We can expect Mikel to be clever as well not to be out-muscled by the Cameroonians and create more cover for our center backs very well.

This option opens room for the question, who plays as the CMF? Clearly, Ndidi for his excellent vision and ball distribution.

in all this we are trying to take a more scientific approach in our arguments, instead of choosing a player over another just simply because we like them or we have seen them play well in other situations.

TheSuperNerd:
Nicely said Sir Joebie.... nicely said indeed.

You see for years since I started following the beautiful game, Africa has always come up short because we somewhat just refuse to get grounded in the science of the game. This has been a problem for years and decades upon decades upon decades long before I was even born.

But thank Goodness for Information that is readily available to us all. We can make things Right. Some of our coaches are beginning to recognise thus science of the game stuff such as Nduka Ugbade, Manu Garba and Amuneke. Information rightly applied is indeed power.

Okay so we have Rohr and his team of Experts and I hope they bring their knowledge to the fore in full volume because this super eagles team has the full potentials to execute great formations like 4-2-3-1, 4-3-3, 4-5-1, 4-4-2, 4-3-1-2, and whatever else..... even the 3-4-3 can be executed if mastered enough based on the depth of playing personnel we have that can execute such roles.


But talking 4-2-3-1 mainly..... or even 4-3-3 or 4-4-1-1.... You are right that it is much more about Roles assignments and I will also add, "near perfect" to it.


Ndidi is a dmf, yes but has the potentials to operate as a CMF.... he's got a better range of passing compared to Ogenyi Onazi. And he also got a fair high level of Great Vision too.

Now Onazi on the other hand is a destroyer.... he does the dirty work and is good at laying off those short passes to the other midfielders around him in more advanced roles. Onazi is an asset when a team wanna win the balls and gives his midfield partners a fighting chance to work out team plays of their own.


Now the big question is.... Who should be our no.4?

Wilfred Onyinye Ndidi who also got great potentials as a CMF in addition to his Primary DMF portfolio... Orrrrr... Ogenyi Eddy Onazi, who when disciplined can give a remarkable as the no.4 as he did at Afcon 2013 where Mikel was playing deeplying playmaker/CMF allowing Sunday MBA bomb forward as the Roaming AMF and Onazi doing the destroying work and laying it off with quick timed short passes for Mikel to spray the passes to the wingers or the center forwards.


Or thinking wider beyond those Two above... Should we bring in Azubuike Okechukwu, who is a DMF with good playmaking skills/abilities??

or Should it be Mikel Agu of Fc Porto who is a destroyer-like battler and also good as a ball playing DMF.... or the KAA Gent Lad, Anderson Esiti who is very good as the midfield anchor in the no.4 role for his good range of passing and calm distribution abilities plus neat marking ....??

If Mikel Agu and Esiti are to be considered alongside Onazi...... then it means The likes of Ndidi should be groomed for the CMF role.... But what about the AMF position?

We got Mikel (midfield all-rounder as a DMF, CMF and AMF with his super wealth of boundless class and experience).... super proven, Super tested, world class, anytime-anyday top performer for the Super Eagles. But in his absence then what??

Alexander Iwobi is the closest we can get to Mikel Obi in that role (AMF) among the players who has featured under Rohr.... But he is always getting played on the left side of attack and he is no Left wing forward... but more of a left-sided Creative midfielder. Iwobi should be made to fit in as one of our no.10 options for his abilities to also dictate plays and open up team's defences and crear countless chances thanks to his Boundless Vision, mad Skills and Confidence to dictate a game's tempo (if given the chance).


Kelechi Iheanacho can also play the no.10 and has got excellent vision, beautiful thru-the-eye-of-a-needle passing abilities too but his style is a bit different from Alex.... Alex brings a more beautiful melody and sexiness to that role as seen when he did it a few times for Arsenal last season(this past season).


If not.... then we may have to look at Forgiveness' Ajagun (who is very well technically gifted and got a very good passing range and vision too).... or even an Aluko, who is more direct as an AMF but comes with his bag of quick feet and skills too and ability to unlock stubborn defences with his constant probings.

For the future, Kelechi Nwakali is another player who deserves a keen look in for the AMF/CMF roles also for the lad is blessed by the gods of the midfield game. He needs to be groomed too for the future.

So we have a lot to discuss and a lot to really set right in terms of the "deep anatomy and actual physiology" of our team for now and the near future and in case certain Generals of the team are unavailable because of Injuries or whatever.



So in answer to your first two questions in bold....

For now, I will say "Mikel Obi" But we must start grooming his stand-by and replacement whenever he is not available and also ahead of his retirement Post-2019 Afcon


As for Etebo.... He is super versatile but I believe his best roles were the roles he shone most for Nigeria in these scenarios:


- against Algeria (as the destroyer-like CMF in a double pivot with Onazi where Onazi sat and he, Etebo was mobile and roamed the Central midfield positions marking and winning balls to feed Our orchestrator, Mikel Obi to work his passing magic)

- Against Japan and co at the Olympics (as the left-wing forward who always love to bomb forward and take on players with his searing pace and power and also get into goal scoring positions)

- Against All opponents at the U-23 Afcon 2015 (as the man behind the striker as the SS where he can always improvise his own moves using his goal instincts, positioning and boundless pace to tear apart defences).

TheSuperNerd:
Nicely said Sir Joebie.... nicely said indeed.

You see for years since I started following the beautiful game, Africa has always come up short because we somewhat just refuse to get grounded in the science of the game. This has been a problem for years and decades upon decades upon decades long before I was even born.

But thank Goodness for Information that is readily available to us all. We can make things Right. Some of our coaches are beginning to recognise thus science of the game stuff such as Nduka Ugbade, Manu Garba and Amuneke. Information rightly applied is indeed power.

Okay so we have Rohr and his team of Experts and I hope they bring their knowledge to the fore in full volume because this super eagles team has the full potentials to execute great formations like 4-2-3-1, 4-3-3, 4-5-1, 4-4-2, 4-3-1-2, and whatever else..... even the 3-4-3 can be executed if mastered enough based on the depth of playing personnel we have that can execute such roles.


But talking 4-2-3-1 mainly..... or even 4-3-3 or 4-4-1-1.... You are right that it is much more about Roles assignments and I will also add, "near perfect" to it.


Ndidi is a dmf, yes but has the potentials to operate as a CMF.... he's got a better range of passing compared to Ogenyi Onazi. And he also got a fair high level of Great Vision too.

Now Onazi on the other hand is a destroyer.... he does the dirty work and is good at laying off those short passes to the other midfielders around him in more advanced roles. Onazi is an asset when a team wanna win the balls and gives his midfield partners a fighting chance to work out team plays of their own.


Now the big question is.... Who should be our no.4?

Wilfred Onyinye Ndidi who also got great potentials as a CMF in addition to his Primary DMF portfolio... Orrrrr... Ogenyi Eddy Onazi, who when disciplined can give a remarkable as the no.4 as he did at Afcon 2013 where Mikel was playing deeplying playmaker/CMF allowing Sunday MBA bomb forward as the Roaming AMF and Onazi doing the destroying work and laying it off with quick timed short passes for Mikel to spray the passes to the wingers or the center forwards.


Or thinking wider beyond those Two above... Should we bring in Azubuike Okechukwu, who is a DMF with good playmaking skills/abilities??

or Should it be Mikel Agu of Fc Porto who is a destroyer-like battler and also good as a ball playing DMF.... or the KAA Gent Lad, Anderson Esiti who is very good as the midfield anchor in the no.4 role for his good range of passing and calm distribution abilities plus neat marking ....??

If Mikel Agu and Esiti are to be considered alongside Onazi...... then it means The likes of Ndidi should be groomed for the CMF role.... But what about the AMF position?

We got Mikel (midfield all-rounder as a DMF, CMF and AMF with his super wealth of boundless class and experience).... super proven, Super tested, world class, anytime-anyday top performer for the Super Eagles. But in his absence then what??

Alexander Iwobi is the closest we can get to Mikel Obi in that role (AMF) among the players who has featured under Rohr.... But he is always getting played on the left side of attack and he is no Left wing forward... but more of a left-sided Creative midfielder. Iwobi should be made to fit in as one of our no.10 options for his abilities to also dictate plays and open up team's defences and crear countless chances thanks to his Boundless Vision, mad Skills and Confidence to dictate a game's tempo (if given the chance).


Kelechi Iheanacho can also play the no.10 and has got excellent vision, beautiful thru-the-eye-of-a-needle passing abilities too but his style is a bit different from Alex.... Alex brings a more beautiful melody and sexiness to that role as seen when he did it a few times for Arsenal last season(this past season).


If not.... then we may have to look at Forgiveness' Ajagun (who is very well technically gifted and got a very good passing range and vision too).... or even an Aluko, who is more direct as an AMF but comes with his bag of quick feet and skills too and ability to unlock stubborn defences with his constant probings.

For the future, Kelechi Nwakali is another player who deserves a keen look in for the AMF/CMF roles also for the lad is blessed by the gods of the midfield game. He needs to be groomed too for the future.

So we have a lot to discuss and a lot to really set right in terms of the "deep anatomy and actual physiology" of our team for now and the near future and in case certain Generals of the team are unavailable because of Injuries or whatever.



So in answer to your first two questions in bold....

For now, I will say "Mikel Obi" But we must start grooming his stand-by and replacement whenever he is not available and also ahead of his retirement Post-2019 Afcon


As for Etebo.... He is super versatile but I believe his best roles were the roles he shone most for Nigeria in these scenarios:


- against Algeria (as the destroyer-like CMF in a double pivot with Onazi where Onazi sat and he, Etebo was mobile and roamed the Central midfield positions marking and winning balls to feed Our orchestrator, Mikel Obi to work his passing magic)

- Against Japan and co at the Olympics (as the left-wing forward who always love to bomb forward and take on players with his searing pace and power and also get into goal scoring positions)

- Against All opponents at the U-23 Afcon 2015 (as the man behind the striker as the SS where he can always improvise his own moves using his goal instincts, positioning and boundless pace to tear apart defences).

Hmmmmm! I just want to clear somethings.

I will only pick players based on their natural positions.

Playing these players in a makeshift position should not be encouraged and banned in the National team. It's making the national team becoming a cult of some group of players. If you are a defender in your club, you must be restricted to that role in the National team, and if we have better players that are ahead of you, no thanks, you are not needed. Players should be restricted to the role/roles they play or have played in thier clubs with the exception of only Mikel Obi. Chikena.

In this light, I will place and limit players to the role/roles they play in their various clubs.

DMF: Onazi, Ndidi, Agu and Esiti

CMF: Mikel Obi, Raheem Lawal, John Ogu, Onazi, Ajagun

AMF: Mikel Obi, Alex Iwobi, Sone Aluko and Abdul Ajagun

S/S: Iheanacho, Bazee Noah, Sone Aluko,

That is it.


Modified

The above is the roles some of these players can play but if I want to be specific and rigid about their best position this is how it will look like.

DMF: Ndidi, Agu and Esiti

CMF: Mikel Obi, Ogenyi Onazi, Raheem Lawal and John Ogu,

AMF: Alex Iwobi, Sone Aluko and Abdul Ajagun

S/S: Iheanacho and Bazee Noah,,

Rohr Dares NFF Technical Committee – I Won’t Submit My List For Vetting




Coach of the senior national team of Nigeria Gernot Rohr says he won’t agree to the demands of the technical committee of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) over vetting of his list of players called up to the senior team of Nigeria.

Shortly after Nigeria’s 0-2 loss to South Africa, the technical committee of the NFF held an emergency meeting with the Franco-German coach, which according to head of the department Chris Green several decisions were reached.

Green said the coach will no longer have monopoly over the players called up to the Super Eagles, and the committee will vet his list of call ups before it is released to the public in a press conference, where questions will be asked on any questionable call up.

However Ade Ojeikere of Sportinglife reports that the coach through one of his aides said Rohr won’t submit his list to the committee for vetting, as the list is usually drawn alongside his assistants.

Furthermore he said the coach insist players called up to the team is usually done with the opposition in mind, as not all players are needed for particular games.



**Ade Emmanuel


Source: http://owngoalnigeria.com/2017/06/19/rohr-dares-nff-technical-committee-i-wont-submit-my-list-for-vetting/

Liverpool youngster to be offered to English clubs if work permit application is successful
By Tom Coast

Since arriving at Liverpool from the Imperial Academy in Nigeria, Taiwo Awoniyi has been sent on two separate loan spells: one at FSV Frankfurt in his first year as a Red, and then to NEC Nijmegen in the Eredivisie last season.

Scoring eight goals in 28 appearances last year shared between the club’s first and reserve teams, the 19-year-old is slowly developing away from Anfield as the club try and get him a work permit, having failed to do so at the first-time of asking.

With two loans spells under his belt, however, Liverpool are apparently going to try and reapply, using his ‘reputation from playing in Germany and Holland before his 20th birthday’ to trigger the special talent option of the process, according to OwnGoalNigeria .

If they do manage to get the young forward one, the plan would be to then temporarily send him out once more, but this time in England.

A source from the player’s family told the website: “He has three more years to go on his deal with Liverpool, so the next step is for him to play in England before a decision will be reached on his contract extension with the club as he’ll have two more years left next season”.

The 19-year-old has also picked up six caps for Nigeria’s U23, scoring two goals, and nine for their U20s, scoring five goals.


Source: http://sportwitness.co.uk/liverpool-youngster-offered-english-clubs-work-permit-application-successful/

TheSuperNerd:
Transfer Zone: WHAT ABOUT VINCENT ENYEAMA TO REPLACE GIANLUIGI DONNARUMMA?






There had been much positivity around AC Milan so far this transfer window, with the Rossoneri—buoyed by significant Chinese investment—investing heavily in a series of talented players.


Mateo Musacchio, Andre Silva, Ricardo Rodriguez and Franck Kessie have all already arrived, while Borussia Dortmund hotshot Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Chelsea’s Diego Costa are just two other names to have been linked with a move to Lombardy.

However, 18-year-old wonderkid Gianluigi Donnarumma looks to have ruled out being part of Milan’s revolution.

The stopper, who has been on the club’s books since 2013, dealt a blow to all those who still believe in the loyalty of footballers when he revealed on Thursday that he had no intention of extending his deal with Milan.

His decision will have put many of Europe’s giants on red alert, and while the youngster is destined for a glittering future at Milan or elsewhere, the club’s immediate future between the sticks remains uncertain.

Pepe Reina, one option, has ruled himself out, while Norberto Neto, Wojciech Szczesny and Mattia Perin are all reportedly being considered by the club.

One player who hasn’t been mooted as a potential successor to Donnarumma is Nigeria’s Vincent Enyeama, even though it’s not clear what the future holds for him at LOSC Lille.



Earlier in the year, Goal reported that incoming Dogues boss Marcelo Bielsa favoured Lille deputy Mike Maignan over Enyeama, while the Argentine coach is also believed to be keen on Manchester City flop Claudio Bravo, and Crystal Palace’s Steve Mandanda.

Media reports suggest that Enyeama’s age—the stopper is 34—counts against him in Bielsa’s eyes, although it’s worth noting that that still makes him five years younger than Gianluigi Buffon, fresh off the back of a sixth successive Scudetto.

Bravo himself is only eight months younger than Enyeama, while Petr Cech and Iker Casillas are both older.





Indeed, while he may not have had a vintage season with Lille, it wasn’t all that long ago that Enyeama was on the cusp of breaking Ligue 1’s record for consecutive minutes without conceding.

Just ask Nigeria fans now whether they’d like the experienced Cat back between the sticks, particularly after Daniel Akpeyi’s miserable outing against Bafana Bafana.

Despite an underwhelming campaign by his own high standards, Lille still had the second best defensive record in the bottom 11 teams in the league, and Enyeama demonstrated on occasion that he’s still capable of the kind of agility and heroic resistance that helped him make his name.

Milan’s new owners will expect an immediate return on their investment, although Vincenzo Montella has opted to place a lot of faith in youth, and will be aware that he must get the right man between the sticks in order to provide a stable base upon which his team can grow.

He could do a lot worse than Enyeama, particularly with Bielsa likely to be receptive to any offer for the keeper.

At a glance, the West African may not appear to be a long-term option for Milan, but the club have a track record for getting the best out of players deep into their 30s, just look at Paolo Maldini, Alessandro Costacurta, Alessandro Nesta and Clarence Seedorf.

Similarly, the evidence of Buffon—while an exceptional case—indicates that if Serie A players handle themselves well, they can excel long after they pass 35. The goalkeeper was only embarking on Juve’s remarkable run of six in a row and was, in the eyes of some, yet to reach his peak.

Enyeama may not be one of the prominent names linked with a move to Milan as Donnarumma’s replacement, but he’s experienced, he’s available, and he has the quality to remind Montella that class is permanent.



Source: http://m.goal.com/s/en-ng/news/4102/transfer-zone/2017/06/19/36474712/what-about-vincent-enyeama-to-replace-gianluigi-donnarumma

I've always wished he were at a big club, maybe this is his chance.

Ex Porto Youth Teamer Unveiled By Apollon Limassol, Reveals Why He Turned Down Kortrijk




Former FC Porto defensive midfielder Fidelis Irhene has been officially unveiled by Cypriot side Apollon Limassol, according to pictures sent by the player to Owngoalnigeria.com.




Irhene spent three years on the books of the Portuguese giants, but spent two seasons on loan to Portimonense where he helped them gain promotion to the top division in Portugal.

However he left the club for Apollon Limassol after his return to Porto as Portimonense didn’t renew his loan deal, while Porto failed to guarantee him a spot in their first team.

Speaking on why he opt to join the Cypriot side, Irhene who is also comfortable as a central defender said he snubbed Belgium side Kortrijk for Apollon Limassol due to the fact that they will be playing in the Europa League.

” It wasn’t a very easy decision to make because Kortrijk have already contacted me even before the season ended in Portugal, but I have to settle for Apollon Limassol because they are in the Europa League “, he told Owngoalnigeria.com in an exclusive interview.


**Daniel Martins

Source: http://owngoalnigeria.com/2017/06/19/ex-porto-youth-teamer-unveiled-by-apollon-limassol-reveals-why-he-turned-down-kortrijk/

TheSuperNerd:
Bafana Bafana Star – We Have Shown Cameroon How To Beat Nigeria




South Africa forward Themba Zwane who starred in their 2-0 win over Nigeria says Bafana Bafana have shown the rest of the world how to beat the senior national team of Nigeria.

The midfielder struck the woodwork twice in the game said South Africa could have won the game by more goals as the 2-0 scoreline didn’t justify their dominace in the game played at the Godswill Akpabio Stadium in Uyo.

He said their tactics of hitting Nigeria on the counter paid off, and insist that teams playing Nigeria who are to take on Cameroon next in the World Cup 2018 Qualifiers can borrow a leaf from their game plan.

“Upon our arrival at the airport there in Nigeria, some of the locals told us that we must forget about the possibility of beating their senior national team, especially at home. They told us that we were going to lose that encounter.

“That alone was the motivation for us to do well in that match. We also had a proper game plan. The coach told us to always maintain shape at the back and catch them on the counter. And we did that pretty well.”


**Ade Emmanuel

Source: http://owngoalnigeria.com/2017/06/19/bafana-bafana-star-we-have-shown-cameroon-how-to-beat-nigeria/

We need to really feel the pain of this loss so that we can have a big reaction. This boy is doing us a service and he doesn't even know it.

Report: Liverpool want to send Taiwo Awoniyi on loan to an English club

The forgotten Liverpool signing could soon be making waves in English football.

According to a report from Own Goal Nigeria , Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp has identified his preferred next move for young striker Taiwo Awoniyi , and that is to send the 19-year-old out on loan to another English club.

Awoniyi signed for Liverpool from the Imperial Academy back in 2015 for £400,000 (as reported by Sky Sports ) and he was almost immediately sent out on loan to German side FSV Frankfurt as he awaited a work permit.

After scoring one goal and providing one assist in 14 appearances for the German second division side, he then headed out for a temporary spell to Holland, scoring three goals and providing one assist in 22 appearances for NEC Nijmegen.


He fared considerably better for their under-21s, netting five goals in only six appearances, but his form to date shows there is still a long way to go before he is a viable first-team option for Liverpool.

Now Own Goal Nigeria claims Liverpool are hoping that while issues over a work permit remain, they can use the suggestion that he is a special talent - along with his spells in the Netherlands and Germany - to allow him to play in England next season.

Only time will tell if Klopp gets his wish, but he will only see if Awoniyi has what it takes to make it in English football if he is granted the chance to play here regularly, albeit at a lower level.

Should he get his wish, choosing the right club will be vital, with chances at so many clubs at a premium for teenage strikers.


Source: http://www.hitc.com/en-gb/2017/06/19/report-liverpool-want-to-send-taiwo-awoniyi-on-loan-to-an-englis/

Thank you Supernerd and Joebie. This was what I was expecting from true super eagles fans. Again I will plead on the house to not put pressure on this team. They will grow. No need to trade blames